A midwife at a Worcestershire hospital has achieved the highest breastfeeding support qualification available.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has made a major stride in breastfeeding support as infant feeding specialist midwife, Becky Davenport, becomes its first certified lactation consultant.

With the breastfeeding qualification under her belt, she is poised to extend expert help to new parents across the county.

Ms Davenport passed a strenuous 12-month course by the International Board of Certified Lactation Consultant Examiners, expanding her proficiency for this role.

Ms Davenport said: "I am delighted to have passed the course – it was a tough 12 months and a difficult exam but I am thrilled that after 26 years as a midwife and 12 years as a feeding specialist, I now have an even deeper understanding of lactation and feeding.

"It proves that you never stop learning.

"We are tending to see more complex feeding concerns and I hope this offers even more assurance to new parents that they have expert feeding advice and problem-solving available to them if they need it.

"We are looking forward to enhancing the skills of two further members of the team and our eventual aim is to be able to set up a dedicated complex feeding clinic at the Trust."

Justine Jeffery, director of midwifery, said: "I would like to congratulate Becky on a wonderful achievement – this is the highest qualification you can gain in breastfeeding support and shows our commitment to infant feeding.

"It’s great news both for the Trust and most importantly for our new parents and families."

The infant feeding service at the Trust offers assistance to new parents with feeding worries for up to six weeks after birth.

More information can be found at: www.worcsacute.nhs.uk/maternity-services/